Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Pseudo-Clementine Literature/The Clementine Homilies/Homily III/Chapter 25

Chapter XXV.&#8212;Cain&#8217;s Name and Nature.

&#8220;Hence the ambiguous name which she gave to her first-born son, calling him Cain, which has a capability of interpretation in two ways; for it is interpreted both Possession and Envy, as signifying that in the future he was to envy either a woman, or possessions, or the love of the parents towards her. &#160; But if it be none of these, then it will befall him to be called the Possession.&#160; For she possessed him first, which also was advantageous to him.&#160; For he was a murderer and a liar, and with his sins was not willing to be at peace with respect to the government.&#160; Moreover, those who came forth by succession from him were the first adulterers.&#160; And there were psalteries, and harps, and forgers of instruments of war.&#160; Wherefore also the prophecy of his descendants being full of adulterers and of psalteries, secretly by means of pleasures excites to wars.